A Lagos lawmaker, Hon. Abiodun Tobun, on Thursday cautioned the Federal Government not to embrace the cattle colony option in resolving the incessant herdsmen attacks in the country.
Tobun, who is representing Epe Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly made the call in an interview with journalists in Lagos.
“It is wrong to allow cattle to move around in search of pasture and in the process destroying food crops,’’ Tobun, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Works and Infrastructure of the house said.
The lawmaker noted that the way out was for the herders to embrace ranches to end the deadly attacks on farmers and communities.
“The practice of open grazing is archaic and obsolete and we have suffered enough from such practice.
“Those involved in cattle business should get ranches and plant grasses for their animals to feed on.
“Whoever wants to rear cattle should have ranches for peace to reign, without peace all efforts will be in vain,” he said.
He noted that he had friends, having between 400 and 500 cows and that they had built ranches for their animals.
“It is equally imperative on the Nigerian Immigration authorities to control our borders so that foreign elements would not come in anyhow and attack people we are meant to protect.”
Tobun, however, advised government to adopt diplomatic solution to in resolving the attacks.
“It is better to adopt diplomacy to nip the attacks in the bud before the attacks degenerate into a full-blown crisis.
“The herdsmen should be called to a round table meeting for discussion. It is uncalled for to be moving cattle round in the 21st century.”
Comments